Handling apparatus



June 1 1926 B. E. FERNOW HANDLING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 12, 1921 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR, MW 5am ATTORNEY June 1 1926; 1,587,109

B. E. FERNOW HANDLING APPARATUS Filed Sept. l2, l92l 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

BMW SEW/mm ATTORNEY Patented June 1, 1926. A

UNITED STATES A 1.587,109 PATENT Fries.

IBER-NI-IARD 'E. FERNOW, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO THE CUTLER- HAMMER MFG. 00., OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN.

HANDLING APIARATUS.

Application filed September 12, 1921..

This invention relates to handling apparatus and is particularly applicable to apparatus for handling the covers of coke ovens and the like.

Coke ovens are usually arranged in rows or banks and coal is introduced into the various ovens through charging holes in the roofs thereof by what is commonly known as a charging larry. The charging holes are provided with covers and heretofore attendants, known as top men were employed for manually removing and replacing such covers. The working conditions of the top of the ovens are such that it is exceedingly difficult to obtain men for handling the covers and the present invention has among its objects to provide for removal and replacement of the covers by apparatus associated with the charging larry and controlled by the operator thereof.

Another object is to provide apparatus of the aforesaid character wherein electromagnetic lifting magnets are employed for engaging the covers during removal and replacement thereof.

Another object is to provide apparatus of the aforesaid character wherein provision is made for rotating the covers to facilitate unseating thereof from the charging holes.

Another object is to provide apparatus of the aforesaid character wherein provision is made for rotating the covers to insure proper seating thereof in the charging holes.

Another object is to provide cover handling apparatus .of the character stated which is simple, rugged and durable in construction and which can be readily applied to a charging larry without materially modifying the construction thereof.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear. The accompanying drawings illustrate an embodiment of the invention which will now be described, it being understood that va' rious modifications can be made in the apparatus illustrated without departing from the scope of the append-ed claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a charging larry provided with cover handling apparatus embodying the invention;

F1. 2 is a top plan view of the cover hand ing apparatus shown in Fig 1;

Fig. 3 is an and elevations]. View of the Serial No. 500,197.

vice therefor;

Figs. 8 and 9 are sectional views taken on lines 8-8 and 9-9 respectively of Fig. 7 and I Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic view of a controller for the apparatus.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 3, the same il-.

lustrate a conventional type of charging larry including a frame 1 mounted on wheels 2 and carrying a plurality of hoppers 8 each of which is provided with the usual gate mechanism 4 at the lower end thereof. The wheels 2 of the charging larry travel on rails 5 extending transversely across the tops of the ovens and the larry is propelled in the usual manner by a motor which is controlled from an operators cab 6 and is supplied with current from contact shoes 7 and 8 arranged to slide on current carrying rails 9 and 10. Hoppers 3 are arranged to register with charging holes 11 in the various ovens .and each of said holes is pro vided with a circular magnetic cover 12.

The cover handling apparatus includes a plurality of lifting magnets 13 which are mounted in front of the charging larry and are arranged to register with the covers 12 of the various ovens. The lifting magnets are of a conventional type and each is con nected by a cable 145 to .a hoisting engine 15 and is also provided with a device 16 for rotating the same upon its axis. Devices 16 are connected to a driving motor 17 through the medium of flexible couplings 18 and shafts 19, 20 and 21 arranged as shown in 1 and as hereinafter set forth, motor 17 and the hoisting engine 16 are controllable from the operators cab 6.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, each of the cables 14: passes over a pair of sheaves 22 arranged above its respective magnet and under a sheave 23 secured to a counterweight 24:- Each pair of sheaves 22 is rotatably mounted upon a bracket 25 suitabl steered to the :t'rameworla at the merging any and.

the intermediate brackets carry an additional sheave 26 for cables 14 of the end magnets. Each of the counterweights 24 is provided with means for limiting upward movement thereof and as best shown in Fig. 6, said means includes an eye-bolt 27 which is secured to the counterweight by a cable connection 28 and is provided with nuts 29 for engaging a member 30 fixed to the charging larry. Connections 28 are of such strength that the same are adapted to break to prevent wrecking of the apparatus if the hoisting engine is not stopped upon movement of the lifting magnets into their raised positions.

Hoisting engine 15 is mounted upon a suitable platform fixed to the framework of the charging larry and as shown in Figs. 4 and 5 the same includes a drum mounted on a shaft 36 which is connected to a motor 37 through the medium of a worm 38 and a worm wheel 39. Motor 37 is provided with an electromagnetic brake a0 and is mounted upon a bed 41. Said bed carries an enclosing casing 42 for worm 3S and worm wheel 39, and also has limit switches 43 and 44: secured thereto for stopping motor 37 upon movement of drum 35 to given limits. Limit switches 43 and at are of a conventional type and are operated by cam arms 45 and 46 fixed to shaft 36, the former arm being arranged to open its respective switch in the lowered position of drum and the latter arm being arranged to open switch A in the raised position of said drum.

As before stated the lifting magnets 13 are of a conventional type and as shown in Fig. 7 each of the same includes a sup porting member 50 having an annular winding 51 mounted in a recess therein. Also as shown in F 7 each of the rotating devices 16 includes a bracket 52- having a flange on the inner end thereof for securing the same to the framework of the charging larry and a vertically arranged bearing 51- in the outer end thereof for receiving a tubular shaft 55. Tubular shaft 55 has a worm wheel 56 keyed thereto which rests on the upper face of bearing 5% and is engaged by a worm 57 mounted upon a drive shaft 58, the drive shafts 58 of the several rotating devices 16 being connected to the motor 17 by couplings 18 and shafts. 19, 20 and 21 as shown in Fig. l. Shaft 58 is supported in bearings located between bracket 52 and a cover 59 and the outer end of said bracket is formed to provide an oil channel 60 for worm wheel 56 and worm 57. The upper wall of cover 59 is provided with a vertical bearing 61 for the tubular shaft 55 and said shaft projects upwardly through said bearing and carries on the upper end thereof a pair of insulated collector rings 62 and 63 provided with co-operating contact fingers 64 and 65 arranged as shown in Fig. 8. Said collector rings are provided with an enclosing casing 66 which is secured to the upper face of cover 59 and the same are connected to the terminals of winding 51 by flexible leads 67 which pass through an elbow fitting 68 secured adjacent the lower end of shaft 55 and through the bore of said shaft.

Shaft 55 is connected to magnet 13 tirough the medium of a sliding coupling 70 and a universal joint 71. Sliding cou pling 70 includes a tubular men'iber fixed to the lower end of tubular shaft 55 and a sliding member 73 arranged within said former member. As shown in Fig. 9 menu her 72 is provided with oppositely disposed longitudinal recesses 7% on the inside thereof and member 73 is formed so that the sides thereof project into said recesses to prevent turning thereof with respect to member 72. The universal joint 71 includes a link 75 having blocks 76 and 77 pivotally secured to opposite ends thereof, the fori er block being pivotally secured to a bracket [8 fixed to the upper face of magnet supporting member 50' and the latter being pivotally secured to the lower end of sliding member The upper end of sliding member 73 has a rod 79 fixed thereto and said rod e1;- tends upwardly through shaft 55 and through an opening in cover 66 and has its upper end swiveled within a crossh ad 80. Crosshead 80 has an opening 81 therein for receiving the hoisting cable i l and the same is slidable between upwardly projecting arms 82 on the upper face of enclosing casing The upper ends of arms 82 have stop members 83 fixed thereto which are arranged to engage the upper face of crosshead 80 to limit upward movement thereof.

The function and operation of the aforedescribed handling apparatus-will now be more fully set forth. Assuming that it is desired to charge one of the ovens, the operator moves the charging larry to a position wherein lifting magnets 13 are positioned immediately above the covers 12 of said oven. l fe then operates the hoisting engine in a direction for lowering of magnets l3 and as soon as said nragnets engage covers 12, limit switch stat is open-ed to stop the hoisting engine. The operator then on ergizes magnets 13 and reverses the hoisting engine to raise the lifting magnets for removal of covers 12 from char ing holes 11. Limit switch 43 opens to stop the hoist ing enginewhen magnets 13 move into their raised positions and the operator then moves the charging larry to a position wherein gates 4- 0f hoppers 3 register with charging holes 11. The oven is then charged in the usual manner and the operator returns the charging larry to the position wherein covers 18 are substantially in alignment with the charging holes. The operator then operates the hoisting engine 15 in a direction for lowering of magnets 13 and during lowering of said magnets he energizes motor 17 to drive shafts 55 of rotating devices 16. As soon as the covers 12 are seated in charging holes 11 lifting magnets 13 are die-energized, motor 17 is stopped and the hoisting engine 15 is reversed to return the lifting magnets to their raised positions. It should be noted that rotation of covers 12 during replacement insures proper sealing thereof and it should also be noted that the universal joint 71 between the lifting magnets and the respective rotating deyices renders it unnecessary to effect exact alignment of the covers with their holes during lifting and replacement thereof. @bviously the covers 12 may be rotated in like manner to facilitate unseating thereof from the charging holes.

As before stated, the handling apparatus is controlled from the operators cab 6 and Fig. 10 diagrammatically illustrates means for effecting such control. The hoisting motor 37 and driving motor 17 are diagrammatically illustrated as being of the series type although it should be understood that other types of motors can be used, and the former motor is controlled by electromagnetic switches 85 and 86 while the latter motor is controlled by an electromagnetic switch 87. The several coils 51 of the lifting magnets are also shown diagrammatically and the energizing circuits of said coils are controlled by an electromagnetic switch 88 through the medium of normally closed push buttons 89,. one of saidpush buttonsbeing associated with each of said coils.

Switches 85, 86 and 88 are of like construction, each of the same being provided with a contact arm which isnormally in engage ment with a contact located at the lower end thereof and is movable to engage a contact located at the upper end thereof, while switch 87 is of the ordinary single pole type. The energizing circuit of switch 85 is controlled by a normally closed push button 90, limit switch 1 1 of the hoisting engine and a normally open push button 91, while the energizing circuit of switch 86 is controlled by push button switch 90, limit switch 43 of the hoisting engine and a normally open push button switch 92. The energizing circuit of switch 87 is controlled by a normally open push button .98 and the energizing circuit of switch 88 is controlled by a snap switch 941-.

Assuming now that the lifting magnets are in their raised position and that it is desired to lower the same, push button 91 is depressed to establish an energizing circuit for switch 85, said circuit extending from line L through push button 90 through limit switch a by conductor through push button 91 and by conductor 96 through the winding of switch 85 to line L Switch 85 thereupon responds and establishes an energizing circuit for motor 87, extending from line L to the upper contact of switch 85 through the arm of said switch by conductor 97 through brake coil 49 through armature A of motor 37 from left to right by conductor 98 through the arm of switch 86 and the lower contact thereof through a resistance It by conductor 99 through the series field F of motor 37 to line L. Lowering operation of motor 37 can be stopped at any time by releasing push button 91 for interruption of the energizing circuit of switch 85 and said circuit is also automatically in terrupted by limit switch 14- after a given lowering operation of said motor. To raise the lifting magnets push button 92 is depressedto establish an energizing circuit for switch 86'extending from line L"through push button 90 to limit switch 4:3 by conductor 100 through push button 92 by con ductor 101 to and through the energizing winding of switch 80 and conductor102 to line L Closure of switch 86 establishes an energizing circuit for motor 37 extending from line L by conductor 102 to the upper contact of switch 80, through the arm of said switch by conductor 98 through armature A of motor 37 from right to left through brake coil 40 by conductor 97 through the arm of switch 85 and the lower contact thereof through resistance R and by conductor 99 through field F of motor 37 to line L. Opening of push button 92 interrupts the energizing circuit of switch 86 and said circuit is also automatically interrupted by limit switch 43 when the lifting magnets are raised to a given position.

To rotate the lifting magnets push button .93 is depressed to establish an energizing circuit for switch 87, said circuit extending from line L" through said push button by conductor 103 through the winding of switch 87 and by conductor 102 to line L Closure of switch 8'? establishes an energizing circuit for motor 17 extending from line L by conductor 102 through said switch by conductor 104 through armature A and field F of said motor to line L. To energize the windings 51 of the several niagnets, switch 941 is closed to establish an energizing cir-- cuit for switch 88 extending-from llllQ IJ by conductor 105 through switch 94: by con ductor 106 through the energizing winding of switch 88 and by conductor 102 to line L In closing switch 88 establishes an en ergizing circuit for the several magnets extending from line L by conductor 102 to the upper contact of switch 88 through the arm of said switch by conductor 10? through the several switches 89 and windings 51 in pan allel to line L. Opening of switch 88 core nects a discharge resistance in circuit wth windings 51, said circuit extending from the right hand terminal of resistance It through the lower contact of switch 88 and the arm thereof. by conductor 107 through the several s 'itches S9 and windings 51 and by conductors 105 and 108 to the left hand terminal of resistance R It should be understood that the push buttons S9 to Set are installed in the cab of the charging larry to give the operator of the larry full control of the handling apparatus.

iVhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Handling apparatus including an electromagnet for holding an article, power operated means for raising and lowering said electromagnet, and associated means for r0- tating said. electromagnet upon its axis.

2. Handling apparatus including a plurality of electromagnets each for holding an article, power operated means forraising and lowering said electromagnets, and a device associated with each of said electromagnets for rotating the same upon its axis.

3. Handling apparatus including a plurality 01"" eleetromagnets each for holding an article, a hoisting engine for raising and lowering said electromagnets, a device associated with each of said magnets for rotating the same upon its axis, and a common driving motor for said devices.

l. In a charging larry for coke ovens, in combination, means for handling the covers of said ovens, said means including lifting magnets for holding the covers, means for raising and lowering said lifting magnets and means for rotating said mag nets upon their axes.

In a charging larry for coke ovens, in

combination, cover handling apparatus inculdlng plurality of electromagnets l'or holding the covers of said ovens a hoisting engine for raising and lowering said magnets, a device associated with each of said magnets tor rotating the same upon its axis, and common driving means for said devices.

In a charging larry for ovens, in conr bination, cover handling apparatus includ .ing a plurality of lifting magnets for holding the covers of said ovens, a hoisting engine, cables connecting said engine to each of said magnets, a device associated with each of said magnets for rotating the same upon its and a common driving motor for said devices.

7. In a charging larry in combination,

means for handling the covers of an oven, said means including a plurality of lifting magnets for holding said covers, a hoisting engine for raising and lowering said lifting magnets, limit switches associated with said hoisting engine for stopping the same upon movement to given raising and lowering positions, a device associated with each of said magnets for rotating the same upon its axis, and a common driving motor for said de vices.

8. In acoke oven charging larry, in combination, an electromagnetfor engaging and holding a coke even cover, a support for said electromagnet, means for rotating and raising or lowering said support, and a universal joint connection between said support and said electromagnet.

9. In a coke oven charging larry, in combination, a plurality of electromagnets for holding the covers of an oven, common means for etlecting energization of said magnets, means for eliecting deenergization of said magnets individually at will, a motor for raising and lowering said magnets, means for limiting the raising and lowering movements of said motor, a device associated with each of said magnets for rotating the same upon its axis, and common driving means for said devices.

10. In a larry for charging coke ovens and the like, the combination with the charging hopper thereof, of a vertically slidabl'e electro-magnet in front ot the hopper in position to engage the cover of the charging opening of the ovens, means to raise and lower said magnet, and means to rotate the same as it lowers the cover onto its seat.

11. In an apparatus for removing and seating a cover with respect to its seat, the combination of an axially movable rotary mei'nber, an electro-magnet carried by one end of the member, means for imparting axial movement to the rotary member, means for imparting rotary movement to the rotary member, and means for energizing and deenergizi'ng the electro-magnet.

12. In a larry for charging coke ovens and the like, in combination, a plurality oil hoppers, a magnet in front of each hopper, means for raising and lowering the magnets and means for spinning the magnets.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

BERNHARD E. FERNOIV.

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